North Carolina's 26th Senate district

North Carolina's 26th State Senate district
Senator	Phil Berger R – Eden
Demographics	66%  White 21%  Black 7%  Hispanic 2%  Asian 1% Other 4%  Multiracial
Population (2023)	221,365

North Carolina's 26th Senate district is one of 50 districts in the North Carolina Senate. It has been represented by Republican Phil Berger since 2023. ^[1]

Geography

Since 2023, the district has included all of Rockingham County, as well as part of Guilford County. The district overlaps with the 57th, 59th, 62nd, and 65th state house districts.

District officeholders

Multi-member district

Senator	Party	Dates	Notes	Senator	Party	Dates	Notes	Counties
I. C. Crawford ( Asheville )	Democratic	January 1, 1973 – January 24, 1979	Redistricted from the 31st district. Died.	Lamar Gudger ( Asheville )	Democratic	January 1, 1973 – January 1, 1977	Redistricted from the 31st district. Retired to run for Congress.	1973–1983 All of Buncombe, Madison, Yancey, and McDowell counties. [2]
				Robert Swain ( Asheville )	Democratic	January 1, 1977 – January 1, 1983	Redistricted to the 28th district.
Vacant		January 24, 1979 – January 29, 1979
Larry Leake ( Asheville )	Democratic	January 24, 1979 – January 1, 1981	Appointed to finish Crawford's term.
James McClure Clarke ( Fairview )	Democratic	January 1, 1981 – January 1, 1983	Redistricted to the 28th district and retired to run for Congress.
Cass Ballenger ( Hickory )	Republican	January 1, 1983 – November 4, 1986	Redistricted from the 23rd district. Resigned to assume seat in Congress.	William Walter Redman Jr. ( Statesville )	Republican	January 1, 1983 – March 11, 1987 [3]	Redistricted from the 23rd district. Resigned.	1983–1993 All of Catawba, Alexander, Iredell, and Yadkin counties. [4]
Vacant		November 4, 1986 – January 1, 1987
Austin Allran ( Hickory )	Republican	January 1, 1987 – January 1, 1993	Redistricted to the single-member district.
				Vacant		March 11, 1987 – March 12, 1987
				Howard Franklin Bryan ( Statesville )	Republican	March 12, 1987 – January 1, 1993	Appointed to finish Redman's term. Redistricted to the 39th district.

Single-member district

Senator	Party	Dates	Notes	Counties
Austin Allran ( Hickory )	Republican	January 1, 1993 – January 1, 2003	Redistricted from the multi-member district. Redistricted to the 44th district.	1993–2003 All of Catawba County. Part of Lincoln County. [5]
Phil Berger ( Eden )	Republican	January 1, 2003 – January 1, 2019	Redistricted from the 12th district. Redistricted to the 30th district.	2003–2019 All of Rockingham County. Part of Guilford County. [6] [7] [8]
Jerry Tillman ( Archdale )	Republican	January 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020	Redistricted from the 29th district. Resigned.	2019–2023 All of Randolph County. Part of Guilford County. [9] [10]
Vacant		June 30, 2020 – July 17, 2020
Dave Craven ( Asheboro )	Republican	July 17, 2020 – January 1, 2023	Appointed to finish Tillman's term. Redistricted to the 29th district.
Phil Berger ( Eden )	Republican	January 1, 2023 – Present	Redistricted from the 30th district.	2023–Present All of Rockingham County. Part of Guilford County. [11] [12]

Election results

2024

North Carolina Senate 26th district general election, 2024 ^[13]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Phil Berger (incumbent)	67,081	54.06%
	Democratic	Steve Luking	51,007	41.10%
	Constitution	Alvin Robinson	6,007	4.84%
Total votes			124,095	100%
	Republican hold

2022

North Carolina Senate 26th district general election, 2022 ^[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Phil Berger (incumbent)	54,717	85.20%
	Write-in		7,882	12.27%
	Independent	Alvin Robinson (write-in)	1,624	2.53%
Total votes			64,223	100%
	Republican hold

2020

North Carolina Senate 26th district general election, 2020 ^[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Dave Craven (incumbent)	63,077	70.33%
	Democratic	Jane Ledwell Gant	26,609	29.67%
Total votes			89,686	100%
	Republican hold

2018

North Carolina Senate 26th District general election, 2018 ^[16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jerry Tillman (incumbent)	39,103	64.83%
	Democratic	William "Bill" McCaskill	21,217	35.17%
Total votes			60,320	100%
	Republican hold

2016

North Carolina Senate 26th district general election, 2016 ^[17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Phil Berger (incumbent)	67,908	100%
Total votes			67,908	100%
	Republican hold

2014

North Carolina Senate 26th district general election, 2014 ^[18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Phil Berger (incumbent)	40,352	59.17%
	Democratic	William Osborne	27,845	40.83%
Total votes			68,197	100%
	Republican hold

2012

North Carolina Senate 26th district Republican primary election, 2012 ^[19]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Phil Berger (incumbent)	19,414	87.11%
	Republican	Bobby Coffer	2,874	12.89%
Total votes			22,288	100%

North Carolina Senate 26th district general election, 2012 ^[20]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Phil Berger (incumbent)	58,276	61.11%
	Democratic	Bobby R. Stanley	37,092	38.89%
Total votes			95,368	100%
	Republican hold

2010

North Carolina Senate 26th district general election, 2010 ^[21]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Phil Berger (incumbent)	43,952	100%
Total votes			43,952	100%
	Republican hold

2008

North Carolina Senate 26th district general election, 2008 ^[22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Phil Berger (incumbent)	65,392	100%
Total votes			65,392	100%
	Republican hold

2006

North Carolina Senate 26th district Democratic primary election, 2006 ^[23]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Rick Miller	1,832	50.93%
	Democratic	Ken Hux	1,765	49.07%
Total votes			3,597	100%

North Carolina Senate 26th district general election, 2006 ^[24]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Phil Berger (incumbent)	26,640	62.38%
	Democratic	Rick Miller	16,064	37.62%
Total votes			42,704	100%
	Republican hold

2004

North Carolina Senate 26th district Republican primary election, 2004 ^[25]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Phil Berger (incumbent)	5,788	69.00%
	Republican	Tim Sessoms	2,324	27.70%
	Republican	Roger Erdely	277	3.30%
Total votes			8,389	100%

North Carolina Senate 26th district general election, 2004 ^[26]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Phil Berger (incumbent)	59,618	100%
Total votes			59,618	100%
	Republican hold

2002

North Carolina Senate 26th district Republican primary election, 2002 ^[27]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Phil Berger (incumbent)	4,580	52.82%
	Republican	Robert G. "Bob" Shaw (incumbent)	4,091	47.18%
Total votes			8,671	100%

North Carolina Senate 26th district general election, 2002 ^[28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Phil Berger (incumbent)	40,187	84.69%
	Libertarian	Jim Capo	7,264	15.31%
Total votes			47,451	100%
	Republican hold

2000

North Carolina Senate 26th district general election, 2000 ^[29]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Austin Allran (incumbent)	44,328	100%
Total votes			44,328	100%
	Republican hold

References

1. "State Senate District 26, NC". Census Reporter. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
2. J. D. Lewis (2014). "North Carolina State Senate 1973-1974" . Retrieved June 23, 2025.
3. J. D. Lewis (2014). "North Carolina State Senate 1987-1988" . Retrieved May 29, 2022.
4. J. D. Lewis (2014). "North Carolina State Senate Districts Map - 1985 to 1992" . Retrieved May 29, 2022.
5. "1992 Senate Base Plan #6" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
6. "Interim Senate Redistricting Plan For N.C. 2002 Elections" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
7. "2003 Senate Redistricting Plan" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
8. "Rucho Senate 2" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
9. "2018 Senate Election Districts" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
10. "2019 Senate Consensus Nonpartisan Map" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
11. "S.L. 2022-2 Senate" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
12. "S.L. 2023-146 Senate" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
13. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
14. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
15. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
16. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
17. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
18. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
19. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
20. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
21. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
22. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
23. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
24. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
25. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
26. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
27. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
28. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
29. "NC State Senate 26". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 29, 2022.